Monday, 31 May 2010

Book afterthought for “Linchpin” by Seth Godin

Score: 3/5

This book describes the characteristics of an indispensable individual in an organization. No specific actions were outlined. Rather, a set of principles and anecdotes were illustrate the point, which I liked. Though an interesting read, I do find the book a bit repetitive. The following is the one story that stuck out the most from the book:

Forty years ago, Richard Branson, who ultimately founded Virgin Air, found himself in a similar situation in an airport in the Caribbean. They had just canceled his flight, the only flight that day. Instead of freaking out about how essential the flight was, how badly his day was ruined, how his entire career was now in jeopardy, the young Branson walked across the airport to the charter desk and inquired about the cost of chartering a flight out of Puerto Rico.

Then he borrowed a portable blackboard and wrote, “Seats to Virgin Islands, $39.” He went back to his gate, sold enough seats to his fellow passengers to completely cover his costs, and made it home on time. Not to mention planting the seeds for the airline he’d start decades later. Sounds like the kind of person you’d like to hire.